StarKist Names Tombras Integrated Agency Partner, Brings Back Charlie the Tuna

StarKist has named Tombras as its integrated agency partner. The assignment: a new brand platform built around Charlie the Tuna, the mascot StarKist has used since 1961.

The news broke via a July 24 post from industry account @roastbrief, confirming Tombras as the agency of record for the initiative. No campaign name or launch date has been disclosed yet.

Tombras is an independent shop headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. The agency works across creative, media, and data, with clients spanning QSR to CPG. StarKist's decision to bring in an independent for this assignment places Charlie the Tuna in new hands after six decades as StarKist's mascot.

Charlie the Tuna has appeared in StarKist advertising since 1961. The character returns to the center of the brand's new platform.

Details on the scope of the partnership, including whether Tombras will handle media buying alongside creative, have not been made public. Neither StarKist nor Tombras has released a statement beyond confirmation of the relationship.

The move adds StarKist to a list of legacy CPG brands that have turned to independent agencies for brand platform work in 2026. Search interest around Tombras and its StarKist assignment remains low. The broader query "starkist advertising campaign" shows more consistent volume.

Free Agency Media will update this story as details on the new brand platform, including creative direction and media strategy, become available.